Japan Raises Alarm Over Near-Collision with Chinese Military Aircraft

Concerns Raised by Japan
On June 12, Tokyo expressed significant worries regarding a recent incident involving a close encounter between a Chinese military aircraft and a Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) patrol plane in international waters of the Pacific. The Japanese government has called on Beijing to prevent any future occurrences.
During a press briefing, Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, confirmed that Japan's concerns were communicated to China through both diplomatic and defense channels.
"We have conveyed our serious concerns to the Chinese authorities, including the ambassador in Tokyo, via the vice minister of foreign affairs, and have firmly urged them to avoid such incidents in the future," Hayashi stated.
"While we refrain from speculating on China's intentions behind these maneuvers, the unusual actions of the Chinese military aircraft posed a risk of collision," he added.
Hayashi emphasized that Japan will remain vigilant and enhance surveillance operations in the airspace and waters surrounding the nation to protect its territorial integrity.
Earlier this week, the Japanese Defence Ministry reported the presence of two Chinese aircraft carriers, the Shandong and Liaoning, conducting operations in the Pacific for the first time.
On Wednesday, the ministry revealed that a Chinese military aircraft, which had launched from the Shandong, nearly collided with a Japanese patrol plane, coming as close as 45 meters at the same altitude.
Additionally, the Chinese J-15 warplane executed other risky maneuvers over the weekend, including passing directly in front of an MSDF P-3C aircraft at the same altitude, maintaining a distance of approximately 900 meters.
The ministry lodged a formal protest with China, expressing serious concerns that such abnormal approaches could lead to an accidental collision.
According to reports from a Japanese media outlet, there is heightened alertness in Japan due to the expanding military activities of China, particularly with both the Shandong and Liaoning aircraft carriers operating simultaneously in the Pacific.